1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a data center and more particularly to a data center housed inside a portable self-contained enclosure, such as a shipping container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Planning and constructing a traditional data center requires substantial capital, planning, and time. The challenges of planning a traditional data center include maximizing computing density (i.e., providing a maximum amount of computing capacity within a given physical space). Further, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to use the space available efficiently enough to provide adequate computing capacity.
Once a data center is constructed, it can be difficult to upgrade to keep up with current technologies. For example, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to expand an existing data center operating at full capacity because the expansion may require additional power and cooling resources, which simply are not available or would be costly to install.
Therefore, a need exists for a means of reducing the capital, planning, and/or time required to implement a data center. A further need exists for a data center that requires less capital, planning, and/or time than a traditional data center. A customizable data center configurable for a particular user's needs is also desirable. A data center capable of integration with an already existing data center is also advantageous. A further need also exists for a data center that requires less time and effort during set up and installation. The present application provides these and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.